LibGuides: Artificial Intelligence: Working with Generative AI Tools

Writing Effective AI Prompts

NOTE: AI tools will collect data on you. Please do not share personal information that you do not want collected.

Below is a prompt to obtain guidance on writing prompts for use with AI. The prompt was submitted to the AI chat service, You.com on January 31, 2024. Try the links provided in the generated text at the end of each listed item to obtain more in-depth information.

Prompt: I need tips for writing effective prompts for use with generative AI tools.

Generated answer:

"Tips for Writing Effective Prompts for Generative AI Tools

Writing effective prompts is crucial for getting the desired output from generative AI tools. Here are some tips to help you craft effective prompts:

Be specific: Provide as much detail as possible about the topic you want the AI model to generate content on. This includes contextualizing the topic with information about the audience, tone, and timeframe 1.
Contextualize the prompt: Clearly define the context in which you want the AI model to generate content. This helps guide the AI model's output and influences its tone, style, and quality 2.
Use descriptive language: Use descriptive language in your prompts to provide the AI model with more information and improve the quality of the generated outputs 3.
Include subject and descriptors: When writing prompts for AI image generation, include a subject (person, object, or location) and descriptors (adverbs and adjectives that describe the subject). This helps the AI model understand what type of visual you want to generate 4.
Avoid abstract concepts: Abstract concepts can lead to inconsistent results when generating content. Instead, use concrete nouns that are easier for the AI model to understand 4.
Experiment and iterate: Writing effective prompts may require some trial and error. Don't be afraid to experiment with different prompts and iterate until you get the desired output.

Remember, the quality of the outputs you receive from generative AI tools is heavily influenced by the prompts you provide. By following these tips, you can improve the effectiveness of your prompts and enhance the results you get from generative AI tools."

CSU Resources For More Info

For more detailed information about ChatGPT in relation to student use, including information about risks, plagiarism, and ways that ChatGPT can be used, see our ChatGPT LibGuide.

CSU AI Commons

Generative AI Tools

NOTE: Always defer to your instructor's policies on the use of AI, before using it to assist you with coursework.

The selected list of tools below provides a list of the most common generative AI tools. Remember, generative AI tools are Large Language Models whose focus is to create coherent language responses, not to conduct research. Each platform requires you to create a log in. Note these are not supported or protected by your CSUN log in, so be sure to check the privacy agreements and settings. Also be cautious about inputting any of your own intellectual property or personal information.

Chat BA
AI created presentation based on a prompt.
Chat GPT
ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a large language model-based chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022, that enables users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language. Successive prompts and replies, known as prompt engineering, are considered at each conversation stage as a context. (Description from Wikipedia)
Copilot (Microsoft)
This is Microsoft's Large Language Model text generator. If you use Copilot with your CSUN SSO your interactions are protected with under Enterprise Data Protection, providing enhanced privacy and copyright protections. Learn more here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/microsoft-365/enterprise-data-protection
Gemini (Google)
Perplexity AI
Perplexity can answer a wide range of questions, from simple factual queries to complex open-ended questions. It can also generate different creative text formats of text content. It can summarize articles and web pages or explore topics in depth with guided AI searches.

Generative AI Tools Review Lists

Ithaka S+R Generative AI Product Tracker
The Generative AI Product Tracker lists generative AI products that are either marketed specifically towards postsecondary faculty or students or appear to be actively in use by postsecondary faculty or students for teaching, learning, or research activities. The Tracker is a living document, which is updated regularly as new products enter the market or new information about existing products becomes available. (Description from ITHANKA S+R)